The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1887-04-30
"Tbcrcy' she says gayly, u renedied


kind, am notP But it's because do dis
like 10 hurt your feelings. You see, my
dear boy"
There she pauses 8 moment, and cringe
a little under the youthful title and her
Grown-up air Of half.patroniaing pity.
Tile truth is,'' she continues presently,
'Pd as soon think Of loving my brother,
Derrick"
''Then you don't love me at alp" cried
With halt sob. az start to my feet over
come with pain at her words.
She rises, too. Her lovely face In Its
frame of curling gold pales little, and
her eyes, from which she takes her name,
drop low.
"Eo," she says.
What wordsyI would say are checked
suddenly, for from her apron pocket falls
picture, face upI look at It and recognize
it with q startled cry of amazement.
"Violeti Mr.. Care's picture In your
pocket9"
"Why not?" she asks, In naughty re-
sentment, and replacing IL with a hand that
trcmbles just slightly. "Mr. Clare is
friend of mine"
"of yours? Why, Violet, ho is twelve or
thirteen years older than you, and he is"
"Only ten years." she corrects II am
nearly seyenteen.''
nI3at he is bad mana wicked manr'
1 cry, rashly. "yloet, Iknow him; he"
"Leaye the room, Derrick Denew she
interrupts, with scorn and passion that
completely amazes me. She looked so
like child in her short dress and flowing
hairy so like an indignant woman In her
white face, hel flashing eyes, and imporious
manner
"Violetr' cry, pleadingly, but she re-
peats:
leave my room We are no longer
friends, Derrick Dene!"
linger for an instant in deepest despair;
but / know Violet we'll. If would win
forgiveness, must not stay and plead
for it now l look at her imploringly for
moment, then snatch my hat and go.
Once in my own room throw myself
across my bed in bewilderment of grief,
! uGSpdH anu anu ll1 " lllHh
how Violet had seemed to me such child.
| had watched her from little child, and
tried not to see that she was growing up.
Now she suddenly seemed woman, and
away beyond me. But it must be mis-
take. Surely she did not care for Wilfbrd
Clare. lie seemed to lie man old In the
world, though he was only twenty-six.
But he was wickedly handsome, and had
been in society since early boyhood, "busy
breaking the tender heart" as he boasting-
ly expressed it.
Aud this mans face Violet carried, and
what villainy might he not be up to, or
schemes to win all the wealth that would
be hers? y, a. -. .e,ai. ra en-
sering up suddenly, and stride furously
about the room with my hands clinched
But what good does it do me2
Just week after this, go to the Office
as usual one morning, and find everything
in the utmost confusion.
"IIallo, Dener' exclaims one of the
clerks. "IIeard the pews?"
News? No. What news2" l inquire,
with trembling presentment of some
trouble or sorrow.
"Tre-MEN-dous row, "says my informant,
as II it all pleased him. "Mr Holmes
pretty little girl ran away-eloped last
night with Wilford Clare"
can feel my dry lips move and vaguely
see that the window Is changing places
with the stove. Then find myself in a
chair with water at my lips. and hear the
: clerks voice:
'Well, you're what I call pretty near
r gone. 1t must strike you near home; were
d you in"
"Thank you, Wilton" interrupt, after
= a reviving swallow of water. 81 must 60
] there at once. Has Mr.. Holmes been
here?"
e mo. But are you-"
v hurry out without waiting for the rest,
I and in some way, hardly know how, find
my way to the blasted home.
e find them.-the heart-brollen father and
d weeping aunt, who has lived there since
J. the mothers death in Violet's little par
lOr, where last saw her week before.
~ "Oh, Derrick-Derrickr Aunt Mercy
i groans, with fresh sob at the sight of me
Il and Mr.. Holmes lifts his gray head for q
moment, then drops it again in silent an
y guish.
What can dop stand silent in the face
- of such sorrow, and absently look about tho
/, room-her room.
lie There is the dainty basket of fancy col
ored woods, standing as 1t stood before
t. there is her pretty chair and little footstool
ID and there, on the table, is the very sketcl
70 she was working on; cluster of roses ant
ferns. Where sat then, Mr.. Holmes sits
ID or IA; lier crouches, now, and Aunt Mercy
ID comes across the room, and sobbinglN
a hands me little note. read it with ho
l.. miserable eyes.
ct "DABLIRG PAPA AHD AUNT MERCY
lie Please forgive me for deceiYing you, but
IS am not going TO the party, and stay will
lie Nettie tonight, as you think. Instead,
I'd am going to be married. You will no
j. come into my room and find this until TO
morrow morning, and then l will be iii
m ford's wife, and far away from here. d,
d. no grieve, for oh, ] am so happy; we low
at each other so, and he says that you woul,
have made me wait four oil five years.
IS. could not do that. Goodbye, and do no
o. be angry with me. VIOLET"
ly l lay it down. speechless, and Mr.. Holme
tn suddenly eXclaims:
w 'He has done it for her money. the vii
" lain He has made her his wife, otherwis
nd ! would hunt and shoot him in his tracks
e. l found the clergyman this morning VIII
W married them last night at nine O'Clock
H. and l know it is legal, Now he ma